Don Lindich's Sound Advice Blog

In my next column I mention the

Originally published second week of December 2011 Q. I have a 42-inch plasma TV monitor that does not have a TV tuner. I used to hook it up to a cable DVR, which cost an extra $15 a month on my cable bill. Since I did not use it often, I returned the DVR to [...]

Sound Advice By Don Lindich Column for first week of December, 2011 Q. I have a 40-inch Samsung LCD HDTV. What is your advice on buying a Blu-ray player for it? I have a Roku box, so I don’t need streaming and Internet capability. BOB POIRIER Martinez, Calif. A. Even though you have a Roku, [...]

The Kodak Easyshare Max has proven to be an excellent superzoom camera with a very impressive specification. It has a clear and sharp 30x optical zoom lens from top-tier lens manufacturer Schneider of Germany, optical image stabilization, 1080p HD video, fast shooting speed, good low light capability and a f/2.8 28mm lens at the wide [...]

  Olympus recently introduced three new PEN Micro Four-Thirds cameras and as might be expected, the top-of-the-line E-P3 ($899 with kit zoom lens) received the most attention. Rave reviews quickly followed, praising the E-P3′s image quality, focusing speed, and 1080i video as well as its beautiful touch screen and built-in flash. Advanced photographers will undoubtedly [...]

Sound Advice By Don Lindich Week 11, 2011 Q. I have a desktop computer I use with powered computer speakers. Nearby I have a vintage stereo receiver with speakers. Is it possible to run the computer audio through my receiver and speakers, and will it work when using Netflix or iTunes? -Dale Nielsen, Shoreview, MN [...]

Engadget has some nice video coverage of the Pentax Q. Pentax claims it can produce good results at ISO6400 and did a demo to prove it. They only used the camera’s screen and it is a preproduction model, but it looks and promising. Image noise is easily seen on a camera’s playback screen and if [...]

The Pentax Q  is not what many of us expected when predicting a Pentax interchangeable lens camera.  One of the main reasons to buy an interchangeable lens camera is the large sensor such as the APS-C sensor found in Sony’s NEX cameras.  Internet message boards have harped on Pentax’s outstanding Limited series of prime (fixed [...]

A common mistake many consumers make when shopping for a digital camera is paying too much attention to the telephoto end of the zoom range. Having enough magnification is rarely a problem, and if you can’t get close enough you can always crop in software. A bigger problem is when the camera lens isn’t wide [...]

Here’s a sneak peek at a product higlighted in my upcoming column, in which I mention the Casio Exilim EX-FH100.  The EX-FH100 has recently been discontinued and if you can find one on sale it represents an excellent buy.  (I have seen it as low as $227, down from the regular price of $299.)  It [...]

Olympus E-PL1 Micro Four-Thirds interchangeable lens camera with 17mm lens (zoom lens also available in $399 kit) I have written about digital photography a good bit recently, which is natural with summer here and lots of people going to weddings, going on vacation, etc.  Many readers are sending questions about cameras and photography. Ever since [...]

The Pentax X90 is a very nice, capable megazoom camera with very good image quality.  (It is a megazoom with its 26-676mm equivlaent.)  I reviewed its predecessor, the Pentax X70, on a trip to South Florida a couple of years ago and was quite impressed with the results, which have the beautiful, colorful “Pentax look” [...]

The Olympus XZ-1 is a camera I have been meaning to write about for a while, and a recent column I submitted reminded me of it.   It definitely  belongs on your shopping list if you are looking for a well-built compact camera that can produce truly outstanding images.  Introduced at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show [...]

Sound Advice By Don Lindich Week 4, 2010 Q. I am purchasing a compact interchangeable lens camera and have seen you discuss the Olympus PEN and Sony NEX models. Both look good but I am leaning towards the Sony. Which one would you pick for yourself? -Katrina Chan, Pittsburgh, PA A. I love this class [...]

  Olympus E-P1 (left) and E-PL1 (right)     Ever since the introduction of the Panasonic DMC-G1 and Olympus E-P1 Micro Four-Thirds cameras, the compact interchangeable lens camera (CILC, my term) category has been smokin’ hot.  The compelling combination of digital SLR-like image quality along with compact bodies and lenses seems to be just what [...]

I’ve received an awful lot of questions about photography lately as people gear up for vacations and look to but new equipment.  I am also working on a new photography-related website that should be launching in a few months, one that will be rather unique on the web.  With that in mind I am going [...]

  Olympus E-PL1 Micro Four-Thirds interchangeable lens camera with 17mm lens Readers of my site and my column know I am a big fan of Micro Four-Thirds interchangeable lens digital cameras and specifically of the Olympus E-P1.  The new Olympus E-PL1 brings Micro Four-Thirds down to the new low price point of $599 MSRP including [...]

Don’s Panasonic DMC-ZR1 Digital Camera at CES The Panasonic DMC-ZR1 is a great digital camera.  I should know, because I have one! Though I usually prefer to use my digital SLRs or Micro Four-Thirds cameras, there are times when I want something I can just put in a coat pocket and forget about.  My Panasonic [...]

Pentax K-x with 18-55 Lens I’ve long been a Pentax fan, going back to my pro photographer days when I cut my teeth using a Pentax 645 medium format camera.  I bought it because it was affordable and had a good reputation; what I did not know at the time is how much I would [...]

Sound Advice By Don Lindich Distributed By McClatchy-Tribune Information Services Q. I am in search of a quality, user-friendly digital SLR camera. I have never owned one but have had many point-and-shoot cameras. I am wondering what you recommend for less than $800 that is beginner friendly and takes quality pictures. Ellie Mendesh A. These [...]